Congressman Raskin Despises Guns, Loves Gun Tax Dollars

By Larry Keane

Congressman Raskin
Congressman Raskin is looking to grab more money, at the cost of American freedoms. IMG Congress.gov

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sure loves some of that sin-tax money. That’s the kind of money when a Member of Congress wants to ban things but can’t. So they go to their second favorite activity. They tax it.

U.S. Rep. Raskin likes his gun policies both ways. If he can’t restrict Americans’ ability to lawfully purchase a firearm, he’ll gladly accept the tax dollars paid on them by Americans while at the same time trying to price them out of their Second Amendment rights.

Fee for Thee

Rep. Raskin isn’t deterred by gun control bills already passed by the House of Representatives. He introduced tax increase legislation as an end-run gun control effort instead. It’s nearly the next best thing for a gun control politician.

The National Firearms Act Modernization Act, H.R. 2427, would increase the tax paid on certain items already strictly regulated under the National Firearms Act. Currently, Americans must complete additional extensive background checks and fingerprinting, submit photos and pay a $200 tax to purchase certain types of firearms, including short-barreled rifles or shotguns and even suppressors. Under Rep. Raskin’s bill, the tax would increase to $300. There are currently approximately 2 million registered firearm suppressors today and they are a health benefit when used for hunting and recreational shooting by protecting hunters’ hearing. They are legal to own and possess in 42 states and 40 states allow them for hunting.

But if Rep. Raskin can further infringe the Second Amendment rights of Americans while also raising taxes, he’ll go for it. “I’m proud to introduce the SAFER Act and the NFA Modernization Act today and will continue pushing for commonsense gun safety legislation so we can prevent gun violence and save lives. I applaud President Biden and Vice President Harris for announcing strong executive action to address the gun violence public health epidemic,” Rep. Raskin said in a statement.

President Joe Biden announced executive actions on gun control, including regulating so-called “ghost guns,” tightening restrictions on pistol-stabilizing arm braces, calling for expanding background checks on private firearm transfers, closing the falsely-termed “gun show loophole” banning modern sporting rifles. He capped it with his nomination of former gun control lobbyist and advocate David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Rep. Raskin is all in on all of those efforts. Of course, none of these would punish criminals for misusing firearms, nor prevent the recent tragedies of murder.

Americans Buying Guns, Not Gun Control

There is a reason gun control efforts stalled in Congress and why Rep. Raskin’s bill faces a steep uphill battle. More than 21 million background checks were processed for the sale of a firearm in 2020. The first quarter of 2021 hit a record-high mark as well, continuing the blistering sales pace. Included in those numbers are more than 8.4 million first-time buyers, jumping off the fence to take their own self-defense into their hands. African-American gun ownership increased 58 percent over the previous year. Asian-Americans purchased 43 percent more firearms than they did in 2019. Hispanic-Americans did so by 49 percent more.

More Americans own guns and they’re coming from all walks of life.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) understands this change. So too does Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). He even challenged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to put a so-called “assault weapons ban” on the Senate floor for a vote. “If you really want to ban assault weapons, bring up the bill, and let’s have the debate. The reason Senator Schumer won’t bring up the so-called Assault Weapons Ban, which is a misnomer, is because it won’t pass. It won’t get 50 votes, much less 60,” Sen. Graham taunted.

The demographics of voters who lawfully own firearms have changed dramatically and taking their rights away and adding a fee to exercise a right, isn’t selling. Rep. Raskin isn’t talking about holding criminals accountable or hitting them with prison time. He’s tossing around the idea to tax a right because if he can’t ban it outright, he’s certainly not going to miss the opportunity to make money off of it.


About The National Shooting Sports Foundation

NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org

National Shooting Sports Foundation

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Rich

This guy looks like he should be chasing ambulances….

Cruiser

Or selling used cars.

CinciJim

…or little kids.

GomeznSA

Cruiser – maybe selling used ambulances…………….?

CinciJim

…or little kids.

Bruce

Fucking weasel

RoyD
GomeznSA

mm – remember the old military adage – if it moves salute it, if it doesn’t, paint it. That same mentality applies to most (all?) dems – tax everything, if ya can’t tax it – figure out a way to further regulate it and then tax that regulation.

Bozz

Why is it illegal to put a tax on some rights, but not others. You can’t tax voting, but you can tax gun ownership. The 2nd amendment is the only one that is taxed. Something definitely wrong with that picture.

GomeznSA

mm – I’ve been saying for years (decades?) that the ONLY reason they haven’t come up with a breathing tax is that they haven’t figured out how to do it. For example, a trained, conditioned athlete is more efficient at breathing than the rest of us, so does he/she (oh wait the guys get to ‘play’ girls sports now, never mind) get an ‘efficiency’ bonus or do the rest of us pay an ‘inefficiency’ penalty?

DonP

The difference is that the constitution makes no mention of a right to booze, cigarettes or gas.

hoss

Here’s a thought, let’s fine politicians everytime they tell a lie. I bet we could pay off the national debt, especially is we also fine the lame stream media.

Laddyboy

The behavior of this man(?) shows he is a member of the Maryland DemoKKKrat National Communist party who DEMANDS all Law Abiding American Citizens be STRIPPED of their God given RIGHTS!

Roland T. Gunner

NFA Modernization Act? Sounds like a chance to repeal the fraudulent Hughes Amendment that never passed. I dont understand why we have not done so already.

TNJEWBOY

This bastard is the son of Marcus Raskin who started the Institute of Policy Studies
He is a hard line Marxist
Trevor Loudon has a lot on him.

Oh, he is also there to drum up Hatred, against Jews.

RoyD

Your statement regarding “Jews” seems to indicate that “Jews” are monolithic in their political views. I would expect that from someone who is less than intelligent and your previous posts would indicate that that is not who you are. Now, of course, you may be saying that the “Jew haters” are not able to differentiate between the political views held by various Jews. In that case you are accusing them of being less than intelligent. Perhaps you would care to revise your remark.

Finnky

I’d be OK with modernizing NFA. 1) Modern items of any class should be available. If a someone can safely operate a machinegun made in 1960, a newer tool with modern safety features could only be better. 2) FBI does not have to snail mall around the country requesting background info, everything is done electronically and everything they need should already be in their database. In short, there is no excuse for needing more than NICS. Sure I’d be willing to pay the extra $100 ($300 instead of $200) but I better get something for it – and that something… Read more »

nrringlee

Modify the NFA out of existence. It is Unconstitutional through and through.

Dee

You shouldn’t be taxed for a Constitutional right period!!

Dee

“Lose” but for a rare occurrence I agree with you. Are frogs falling out of the sky now? LOL

Roland T. Gunner

Its a compromise to our benefit, but nothing reasonable or common sense about it.

Wass

The noble cause of gun rights for law-abiding Americans doesn’t need the remarks of anti-Semites like Roy D and Will.

RoyD

You apparently missed “reading comprehension” in English class. LOL!

RoyD

Well, Will, I am more inclined to say he is a “weak kneed bitch” but you have the right train of thought.

Ansel Hazen

Wass, are you trying to insinuate that CCP boot licking legislators shouldn’t be called what they are?

Dee

Yea that won’t pass unless racism ends in this country and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

Taxing a right should be illegal and it shouldn’t take freaking 6+ months to get a NFA item. That sh!t ridiculous.

Dee

Stop listening to Trump music and get the hate out your heart. Look like you hate blacks, women, gays. How bout the Jews and Asians?